RCI Cruise Documents & Pre Paid Service Charge??

[LuckiePuris]

Am just reading over my cruise documentation for RCI Rhapsody cruise.

Hoping someone who has / is cruising RCI will be able to help me!

On the edocs, on page 1, it lists a Cruise Summary and shows a heading saying Pre Paid Service Charge, and the passenger names.

On page 11, where it lists Charge Account & Cruise Ticket (the section where you add your credit card details etc), it has a heading saying Charges, then Pre Paid Service Charges, and again lists the passengers names.

What does this mean? I assume pre paid service charges are the prepaid gratuities. Does this mean that we have already paid the prepaid gratuities in our total cruise fare, or does this mean that we are choosing to have prepaid gratuities paid by our credit card?

Thanks for your help

[Alexis]

Originally Posted by LuckiePuris

Am just reading over my cruise documentation for RCI Rhapsody cruise.

Hoping someone who has / is cruising RCI will be able to help me!

On the edocs, on page 1, it lists a Cruise Summary and shows a heading saying Pre Paid Service Charge, and the passenger names.

On page 11, where it lists Charge Account & Cruise Ticket (the section where you add your credit card details etc), it has a heading saying Charges, then Pre Paid Service Charges, and again lists the passengers names.

What does this mean? I assume pre paid service charges are the prepaid gratuities. Does this mean that we have already paid the prepaid gratuities in our total cruise fare, or does this mean that we are choosing to have prepaid gratuities paid by our credit card?

Thanks for your help

It sounds like your edocs are very different than my mailed docs.
I just got mine out to look at them. This is what I see on mine that shows my prepaid tips are definitely already
paid and confirmed.

I have a page 23 that says, "For Your Files"
with our names right under that at the top of the page.

It has all of the information from the reservation number, ship, date of cruise, cabin category, deck and cabin number,
under that.

Then below that, the cabin charge, insurance cost, miscellaneous and total of it all added.

Below that it says:

Prepaid gratuities included for:
xxx xxxxxxix our name
xxx xxxxxxix our name

Cruise ticket contract.
blah blah blah.........................

Senior Citizen

If you think you have been charged by mistake for tips, or were not charged and should have been, there should be a page similar in your docs to see it. If it does show something was added to you total, I believe that could also mean the Specialty Restaurants if anyone booked them in advance also. If I am wrong, someone will correct me.

[cb at sea]

Call RCI and ask them!

[Cruise Raider]

Originally Posted by LuckiePuris

Am just reading over my cruise documentation for RCI Rhapsody cruise.

Hoping someone who has / is cruising RCI will be able to help me!

On the edocs, on page 1, it lists a Cruise Summary and shows a heading saying Pre Paid Service Charge, and the passenger names.

On page 11, where it lists Charge Account & Cruise Ticket (the section where you add your credit card details etc), it has a heading saying Charges, then Pre Paid Service Charges, and again lists the passengers names.

What does this mean? I assume pre paid service charges are the prepaid gratuities. Does this mean that we have already paid the prepaid gratuities in our total cruise fare, or does this mean that we are choosing to have prepaid gratuities paid by our credit card?

Thanks for your help

The pre-paid service charges are your pre-paid gratuities. This is not mandatory unless you chose the 'my time dining' option, in which case, they will be added to your balance before your embarkation. Gratuities are charged per pax which is why you see both names listed. If you didn't chose the 'my time dining' you should have the option of paying them up front or once onboard.

[LuckiePuris]

Thanks everyone for your help!

I have already prepaid the gratuities even though we will not be using My Time Dining.

Just wasn't sure if the documents were saying that we have already prepaid the gratuities or if it was listing the prepaid gratuities to be charged onto the credit card on embarkation.

Will see what my TA says and will make sure to confirm where we embark.

Can't wait to cruise Rhapsody...this is our first RCI cruise and from everything I've read about this cruise line and ship, it sounds fantastic!

[Big Kev]

Originally Posted by LuckiePuris

Thanks everyone for your help!

I have already prepaid the gratuities even though we will not be using My Time Dining.

Just wasn't sure if the documents were saying that we have already prepaid the gratuities or if it was listing the prepaid gratuities to be charged onto the credit card on embarkation.

Will see what my TA says and will make sure to confirm where we embark.

Can't wait to cruise Rhapsody...this is our first RCI cruise and from everything I've read about this cruise line and ship, it sounds fantastic!

If you are an Aussie, and booking with RCI Australia, or through an Australian Agent, gratuities are compulsorily added into the booking. This is irrespective of whether you use MTD or not.

This is so that the expected tipping situation dosnt become a problem to either the ship crew, or to the Aussies who may be unaware of the culture..
.
.

[LuckiePuris]

Originally Posted by Big Kev

If you are an Aussie, and booking with RCI Australia, or through an Australian Agent, gratuities are compulsorily added into the booking. This is irrespective of whether you use MTD or not.

This is so that the expected tipping situation dosnt become a problem to either the ship crew, or to the Aussies who may be unaware of the culture..
.
.

Thanks for your response! We booked through an Australian travel agent but were told gratuities were not compulsary, unless booking My Time Dining.

We had to speak to our travel agent to request they did include the prepaid gratuities in our cruise fare.

Maybe it depends who you book your cruise with?